Power transmission



Feb. 22, 1944- w. E. R'ousE ET AL 2,342,224

POWER TRANSMISSION Filed March 31, 1941 v 3 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. I

INVENTORS" WARREN E. ROUSE r JAMES ROBINSON 8 JOHN D. DIETIKER ATTORNEY "Feb. 22; 1944. wQE. ROUSE ET AL POWER TRANSMISSION Filed March 31, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 INVENTORS WARRE N E. ROUSE JAMES ROBINSON & JOHN D. DlETiKER ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 22, 1944 UNITED STATE S PATENT OFFICE POWER TRANSMISSION Warren E. Rouse, Birmingham, and James Robinson and John D. Dletiker, Detroit, Mich., assignors to Vickers Incorporated, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan 7 Claims.

This invention relates to power transmissions,

particularly to those of the type comprising two or more fluid pressure energy translating devices, one of which may function as a pump and another as a fluid motor.

The invention is more particularly concerned with a power transmission system of this character incorporating an improved single-cycle control mechanism, that is, one in which the operation of the motor will be automatically terminated after a predetermined movement or cycle. It is frequently desirable to drive a load device in steps of predetermined length under automatic control after manual or other initiating action, as, for example, in driving a large rotary casting machine carrying molds to be filled with molten metal by bringing each mold in turn into position under a pouring spout.

It is furthermore necessary that the load be gradually accelerated and decelerated at the beginning and end of each cycle of movement to avoid spilling of the molten metal and to avoid overloading the prime mover by attempting to accelerate the large mass of the casting wheel too rapidly. i

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved hydraulic transmission system and control therefor wherein a predetermined cycle of movement may be initiated manually or otherwise in accordance with the above requirements.

Application March 31, 1941, Serial No. 386,054

It is a. further object'to provide a system of I this character wherein the drive is under manual control at all times and may be stopped and restarted at any point of the cycle.

It is also an object to provide in a control system of this character an interlocking arrangement such that, after a cycle has been automatically terminated, a second cycle cannot be restarted until the manual starting control has been returned to its neutral position, that is, one in which the cycle will not repeat if the starting means is continuously held in starting position.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a. power transmission system incorporating a preferred form of the present invention.

Figures 2 through 5 are views corresponding to a portion of Figure 1 showing the parts in various possible positions during a cycle.

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated a prime mover indicated by an electric motor l0 adapted to drive a variable stroke, reversible pump l2 of well-known construction.

The pumpand motor are preferably mounted in the side walls of an oil reservoir or tank l4 in which a supply of operating fluid is maintained. The motor Ill at its opposite. end may drive a small, fixed displacement, auxiliary pump [5 having a suction conduit l8 connected with the tank and a delivery conduit 20 connected with acontrol valve block 22 mounted on the opposite side wall of the tank I4.

The pump l2 has a swinging yoke 24 which may be adjusted to various positions, upwardly or downwardly from the neutral position shown,

spring abutment washer 40 is slidable on the reduced upper portion of link 30 and rests in the normal position upon the shoulder 38 and also upon the inner surface of cap 36. The washer 4n serves as an abutment for the lower end of a spring 42 which is sufliciently strong to move the pump yoke 24 without yielding it the yoke is not restrained against movement by other means later to be described. Abutting the closed upper end of the cylinder 34 is a tubular spring abutment 44 which abuts the upper end of spring 42 and is slidably mounted on the reduced portion of link 30. The upper end of link 30 carries a collar or head 48 in contact with the upper v surface of the end portion of abutment 44.

The action of the lost motion device will be apparent if the yoke 24 be imagined as temporarily secured against movement, and if then 'the lever 26 be moved downwardly, the link 30 from moving downwardly by its abutment with yoke 24.

end cap 36 which in turn is secured to the stationary yoke 24 by the tube 34.

Connected to the pump I2 is a main power circuit consisting of a pair of conduits 48 and 50 which lead to a fluid motor 52.

The latter has an output shaft 54 which may be connected by suitable means, not shown, to drive any desired load device. Shaft 54 is provided with a multiple-disk brake 56 which is normally engaged by a spring 58 which urges the pressure plate 60 to the right. The latter carries a differential piston 62 slidable in a cylinder 64 which is connected by a brake release pipe 66 to the valve block 22.

It will be seen that, whenever fluid pressure is admitted through release pipe 66, piston 62 will be shifted to the left against spring 58% release the pressure plate from contact with the brake disks 56, thus permitting shaft 54 to turn. Preferably, a manual release lever 68 is also provided for manually camming the pressure plate 60 to the left, should it be necessary to do so without the aid of pressure fluid.

The main power circuit is provided with a bypass comprising pipes and 12 which branch from the conduits 50 and 48 and lead to the valve block 22. Also connected across the main circuit are the customary overload, pressure relief valves 14 end 16 which in this case are mounted directly on the yoke 24.

The shaft 54 carries a worm 18 to drive a worm wheel 80 in turn connected with a shaft 82 carrying a cam wheel 84. The latter is provided with a generally circular edge cam surface having a notch 86. Adjacent the notch 86 on either side thereof are pivoted wings 88 biased to the position shown by spring-pressed plungers 9 0. The wings are pivoted at 92 to coact with a follower 94 in a manner to yield when the follower is driven out of the notch but to support the follower away from the notch until it passes .the tip of a wing as the cam approaches the stopped position illustrated.

The cam 84 is also provided with agroove 96 in its face, the edges of which form a pair of cam surfaces 98 and I00. The latter cooperate with a roller I02 carried by a link I04 s'lidable in a bearing I06 and connected to the yok 24 by a link I08. The shape of the cam surfaces 98 and I 08, in the particular embodiment illustrated, is such as to provide a very small range of movement of yoke 24 in the position illustrated in Figures 1 and 4 and to progressively increase that range throughout the first ninety degrees of cam rotation in either direction from the position there illustrated. The remaining one hundred eighty degrees of the cam surfaces are circular in shape and spaced from one another sufficiently to permit full range of movement of The lever 26 also carries pivoted thereto at its opposite end a 'link IIIl connected to a slide bar IIZ carrying a rectilinearcam bar H4 having a notch II6 coacting with a follower H8. The arrangement is such that the follower I I8 canoccupy the righthand position illustrated only when the lever 26 is at or near neutral position. Upon slight movement away from neutral position in either direction, the follower I I8 is projected fully to the left. Both follower H8 and follower 98 are spring biased to the right into contact with their respective cam surfaces.

The valve block 22 contains a main control valve I20 which is effective to stop the motor 52 when the valve lies in the position shown in Figure 1. This action is accomplished through the medium of a bypass and brake-operating valve I22 which is spring biased to the right and may be shifted to the left by the admission of pressure fluid through a conduit I24 from the port I26 of the valve I20.

The valve I22 is provided with ports I28 and I30 connected with the bypass conduits 10 and 12, respectively. These ports are normally connected in the position shown in Figure 1 and are blocked from one another when the valve I22 is shifted tothe left. This valve is further provided with a port I32 connected with conduit 66, and,

' in the position of the valve shown in Figure l,

this port is connected with a port I34 which is in communication with the tank through a passage I36. When the valve I22 is shifted to the left, port I32 is connected with a port I38 which is one terminus of the auxiliary pressure delivery line 20.

The delivery line 20 also communicates with the inlet side of a pair of check valves I40 and I42 which connect by passages I44 and I46 with the ports I28 and I30. By this means the main power circuit may be maintained full at all times to make up for leakage losse by maintaining the pressure of the auxiliary pump on whichever of the conduits 48 or 50 is the low pressure conduit at any time.

The delivery conduit 20 also passes throu h a port I48 of a relief valve I50, the lefthand end of which is subjected to pressure in the line 20 through a branch I52. An adjustable spring I54 maintains the valve closed in the position shown in Figure 1 until a predetermined pressure is built up in conduit 20, at which time the valve will shift to the right to open port I48 to a port I55 leading by a branch I56 to the tank connection I36.

The main control valve I20 has two end ports I58 and I60 which communicate with the delivery line 20, and a central port I62 which communi cates with the tank through a passage I64. A port I 66 communicates by a'passage I68 with the left end of a pilot valve I16. The valve'I20 has three effective positions. In the righthand position illustrated in Figure 1, port I26 is cut off from port I58 and connected with port I62, while port I66 is cut off from port I 60 and also connected with port I62. In the middle position,

port I 66 is blocked, while port I26 is cut off from port I62 and connected with port I58. When the valve is shifted fully to the left, port I26 remains connected as before, while port I66 is connected I with port I60.

The pilot valve I16 is a simple three-way valve having a central port I12 which is connected with a port I14 in the position shown in Figure 1 and may be cut off from thisport and connected to a port I16 in the tank passage I64 when ever the valve I10 is shifted to the right. A spring-pressed detent I16 retains the valve I10 in either one of its shifted positions whenever the pressure at opposite ends of the spool is identical.

The port I12 connects by a passage I18 with a small cylinder chamber I88 adjacent the right end of valve I20. A small retracting piston I82 is slidably mounted in cylinder I80. The retracting piston I82 is slidable on the stem of valve I28, the arrangement being such that, when fluid pressure is admitted to cylinder I68, piston I82 .valves. I20 and I58, is .-Ivalves I40 and I42 to the wardly to shift the yoke ascaaac I90 which communicates with tank through pas- When the valve I88 is shifted to the sage I84. left by action of cam II8 on follower ",8, port I88 is cut on! from port I90 and connected with a port I92 in the delivery conduit 20. Thevalve I88 also has a port I94 at its lefthan d end which connects by a passage I98 with the brake release conduit 88. The port I94 is connected with port I80 in the righthand position of the valve and is cut ofl'therefrom in the lefthand position. A port I88 communicates by a conduit 200 with the righthand end of valve I10 and is connected with thedelivery conduit at port I92 when valve I88 is in its righthand position. The port I98 is cut 01! from the port I82 and connected with a port 202 when the valve I88 is shifted to the left. LPort 202 connects with tan]; passage I84.

In operation, starting with the parts in the position shown in Figure 1, it will be seen that, when motor I is operating, pumps I2 and I8 are driven, pump I2 delivering no fluid because the yoke 24 is in the neutral position. Pump I8 delivhrs fluid through conduit 20- which supplies pressure fluid through conduit 200 to 'the right end of valve I10 and then, following on through two sides of the main ciircuit which, however, accepts I no significant. flown Port I88 being blocked, thereis no further path oi! escape from conduit 20 so that fluid will flow through passage I82 and relief valve I80 will open,- permitting the full pump delivery to discharge to tank through port I88 and passages I88 and I 88.

When it is desired to start a cycle of operation of the load device, for example. in the direction producing counterclockwise rotation of the cam 84, the handle may be moved funy down 24, and cam 4 upwardly as illustrated in Figure 2. If it is desired to drive the load at maximum speed, the. handle will be depressed its full distance, and-correspondingly, if a slower speed is desired,'a lesser movement of the handle is required. In any event, the cam surface I00 limits the upward movement of yoke 24 to a very small value, and, as the motor rotates the cam, it'gradually per- .mits yoke 24 to risezunder the action of the spring 42 in the lost motion connection 82. The

shifting of yoke 24 out of neutral position causes fluid to be withdrawn from conduit 48 and delivered into conduit 50, thus rotating themotor 82 at a speed proportional ment of yoke 24 (as soon as. as will now be described).

The shifting of cam Il4'shlfted ro1lerfI-I8 and valve I88 iully to the left.

the bypass closed 120 accordingly is delivered through conduit I24 supplied through checlcv the bias I00, I88 and I88, and

to the right end of bypass and brake-control valve I22, shifting the latter to the left against of its spring. Accordingly, ports I28 and I 80 are cut off from one another, thus closing the bypass between conduits 48 and 80. In

addition, the shifting of valve I22 connects port I82 with port I88 instead of port I84. Thus, pressure fluid is admitted from line 20 to line 88 and to the brake-release cylinder 84 to release the brake 58. It will be noted that the shifting of valve I88 blocks the port I94, thus closing this path of escape from port I82 through ,conduitl8'8.; After pistons I82 and 82 ,have been moved to the left, pressure acting through I82 'will move valve I50 to the right to permit excess fluid from pump I8 to be discharged through I48, will also'make up any fluid to the low pressure. side of the pump and motor transmission I2, 82. by flowing through 20 past valve I42 into 8,180, 12 and 48.

As the motor rotates, driving cam 84,- the follower 84 swings the upper wing 88 back against the spring plunger 90 so that the cam surface 86 soon abuts the follower 94 after the cam is rotated through a-small angle such as that illustrated in Figure 2. From this point on, as the gradually shift the follower I20 fully to the left. thus opencam rotates it will 94 and ,the valve ing port I88 to port I80. This, position of the valve I20 is illustrated in Figure 3.

Pressure fluid from line 20 mitted through ports I80 and I88 and through I fully expanded, and the conduit I88 to the left end the right end of this valve ,ofvalve I18. 7 Since is now connected to tank, as previously described, the valve shifts,

thus connecting port I12 with the tank port I18 and hence connecting cylinder I to exhaust through I84.

As the motor continues to rotate, the cam 84 permits yoke 24 to rise until the spring 42 is parts occupy the. po ition shown in Figure 3. This condition maintains until the cam surface I00 again begins to push the yoke 24 downwardly, at which time the motor and load device are gradually decelerated until the parts reach the position illustrated in Figure 4. During this en ire operation the handle 28 has been held in is fully downward position.

in Figure 4, the follower 94 rides on the outer circumferential surface of the lower wing 88 until it is permitted to drop into the notch between fluid from chamber I80 to' the angular displace- This cuts off, the pressure supplied throughibort I88 to valve I10 Valve I18 does not move at the wings. At this time valve I20 shifts back fully to the right carrying piston I82 along with it on the latter half of its movement, whereby is exhausted through I18, I12, I18 and I84. Port I28 is thus again connected .to the tank port I82Jywhlch permits I82 is again connected with port I34 to exhaustthe brake-release chamber 84 through conduit 88. Thus, spring 88 again applies brake 58.

The motor 82 thus is brought to a positive stop independently. of whether .or not handle 28 is returned to neutral position. The motor cannot be restarted. until the handle 28 is returned, howis accordingly ad- 7 As the cam 84 approaches the position shown ports I28 andI82, and conduit I84 ever. This is because the retracting cylinder I80, is connected with tank at ports I12 and I16 of valve I10. When the handle 26 is restored to neutral position, the parts occupy the position shown in Figure 1 so that pressure fluid is admitted from port I92 to port I98 and conduit 200 to shift valve I again to the left and connect ports I12 and I14 so that they may receive pressure fluid to operate retracting piston I82 as soon as the valve I88 is again shifted to the left. 4

The device may also be stopped at any time during the cycle by returning handle 26 to neutral position. Such a stop is illustrated in Figure 5 from which it will be seen that the movement of handle 26 returns the yoke 24 to neutral position, thus stopping the delivery of fluid to.

motor 52. The cam II4 permits the valve I88 to shift to the right and open the connection from port I94 to port I90, thus exhausting the brake-release cylinder 64 through passages 66 As soon as the valve begins to close off port I38,

the pressure in line will tend to rise so that a stable condition is reached in which valve I22 is acting as a relief valve to maintain pressure in line 20 at a value determined by the force of its biasing spring in relation to its righthand end area. This position of valve I22 may open the main circuit bypass although this is not necessary since the pump yoke is in neutral position.

It will be understood that an exactly analogous operation may be had in the reverse direction by shifting lever 28 upwardly, and the same cycle of movement will be made to take place. In. this event, follower I 02 will contact cam 98 which will govern the extent of movement of yoke 24 during accelerating and decelerating portions of the cycle in exactly the same manner that cam I00. controls it during a forward cycle. Thus, in either direction of rotation, the load device is under full manual control at all times with a superimposed automatic control which insures a full stop after a predetermined amount of motor rotaton. During a reverse cycle, fluid required for replenishing purposes is taken into the main circuit line 50 through valve I and conduit I0.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a hydraulic power transmission system the combination of a reversible, variable stroke pump, a fluid motor and a main power circuit connecting the pump with the motor, a member shiftable to vary the stroke of the pump and having a neutral position in which the pump stroke is zero, manually operable control means for shifting said member, said means including a yielding lost motion connection, control means driven by the motor for returning the member t approximate neutral position after a predetermined movement of the motor, and means controlled jointly by the manual control means i and by the motor-driven control means for stopping the 'motor when said member has been shifted to approximate neutral position and preventing restarting of the motor until after the manual control means has been returned to neutral position.

2. In a hydraulic power transmission system the combination of a pump, a fluid motor and a main power circuit connecting the pump with the motor, a member shiftable to vary the rate of fluid delivery to the motor and having a neutral position in which the rate of delivery is zero, manually operable control means for shifting said member, said means including a yielding lost motion connection,- control means driven by the motor for returning the member to approximate neutral position after a predetermined movement of the motor, and means controlled jointly by the manual control mean'sand by the motordriven control means for stopping the motor when said member has been shifted to approximate neutral position and preventing restarting of the motor until after the manual control means has been returned to neutral position.

3. In a hydraulic power transmission system the combination of a pump, a fluid motor and a main power circuit connecting the pump with the motor, a member shiftable to vary the rate of fluid delivery to the motor and having a neutral position in which the rate of delivery is zero, manually operable control means for shifting said member, said means including a yielding lost motion connection, control means driven by the motor for returning the member to approximate neutral position after a predetermined movement of the motor, and means controlled jointly by the manual control means and by the motor-driven control means for bypassing the power circuit to stop the motor when said member has been shifted to approximate neutral position and preventing restarting of the motor. until after the manual control means has been returned to neutral position.

4. In a hydraulic power transmission system the combination of a pump, a fluid motor and a main power circuit connecting the pump with the motor, a member shiftable to vary the rate of fluid delivery to the motor and having a neutral position in which the rate of delivery is zero, manually operable control means for shifting said member, said means including a yielding lost motion connection, control means driven by the motor for initially limiting the degree of movement of said member to control acceleration of the motorand for thereafter again limiting said movement to decelerate the motor after a predetermined movement of the motor, and means controlled jointly by the manual control means and by the motor-driven control means for stopping the motor when said member has been shifted to approximate neutral position and preventing restarting of the motor until after the manual control means has been returned to neutral position.

5. In a hydraulic power transmission system the combination of a pump, a fluid motor and a main power circuit connecting the pump with the motor, a member shiftable to vary the rate of fluid delivery to the motor and having a neutral position'in which the rate of delivery is zero, manually operable means for shifting said member, said means including a yielding lost'motion connection, a cam driven by the motor, and follower means connected with said member to limit the range of movement thereof during starting and to again limit said range after a predetermined movement of the motor.

stopping position ,afterpredetermined movement of the motor, pressure-operated means for shifting the main valve to starting position, a pilot valve for controlling the admission of pressure fluid to said means, double-acting servomotor means for shifting the pilot valve, a starting valve for controlling the admission and exhaust of pressure fluid at one side of the servomotor and also controlling the admission of pressure fluid to shift the main valve, and means associated with the main valve for controlling the admission and exhaust of pressure fluid to the other side of the servomotor in response to cam-controlled shifting of the main valve at the stopping and starting, respectively, of the motor.-

7. In a hydraulic power transmission system the combination of a pump, a fluid motor and a main power circuit connecting the pump with the motor, a main valve shittable to control the stopping and starting of the motor, a cam driven by the motor to control shifting of the valve to stopping position after predetermined movement of the motor, pressure-operated means for shifting the main valve to starting position, a pilot valve for controlling the admission of pressure fluid to said means, means for shifting the pilot valve in one direction to cause starting of the motor, and means controlled by the main valve after starting to prevent restarting of the motor until after the pilot valve shifting means has been restored to stopping position.

WARREN E. ROUSE. JAMES ROBINSON. JOHN D. DIETHiER. 

